A Michigan dairy farmer will serve as chair of the agriculture committee in the Michigan House of Representatives for 2025-26.
State Rep. Jerry Neyer, an Isabella County Farm Bureau member, will lead the state’s agriculture committee, replacing outgoing Rep. Julie Alexander of Jackson County Farm Bureau.
Neyer, R-Shepherd, previously served as minority vice chair last term. He joins Jen Wortz (Branch County Farm Bureau), who will serve as vice chair, Greg Alexander (Sanilac County Farm Bureau), and Sarah Lightner (Jackson County Farm Bureau) on the committee.
“I’m very happy with the assignment,” Neyer said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to working with the agriculture community to make the industry more viable and prosperous for our state.”
Previously, Neyer sponsored legislation that would significantly reduce fines against family farms that didn’t properly report a workplace death of an immediate family member. His bill, HB 4011, passed the House of Representatives on Feb. 29, 2024, but died once a new legislative session began.
Neyer now plans to take new action on similar legislation, which, as previously outlined, would allow family farms to report workplace fatalities without fines for failure to do so within an 8-hour window.
“No one in that kind of situation is going to be thinking about filing paperwork with the state in the first eight hours,” said Neyer, who also spent more than 20 years on the Isabella County Farm Bureau and the United Dairy Industry of Michigan boards.
“They’re going to be in shock. Anyone applying common sense can see that.”
Neyer Farms was started by Jerry’s father in the 1960s.
Neyer represents Michigan House District 92, which covers all of Isabella County and part of Gratiot County, including the towns of St. Louis, Alma, and Ithaca plus Seville Township, Pine River Township, Bethany Township, Arcada Township, and Emerson Township.
Also serving on the House agriculture committee are Veronica Paiz (minority vice chair), Joseph Fox, Tom Kunse, Joseph Pavlov, Emily Dievendorf, Carrier Rheingans, and Phill Skaggs.
Learn more here.